The government allocates Ksh. 656B for the education sector

GP9HM3gXgAAAUWX — “For Kenya to transition from a lower-middle-income economy to an upper-middle-income economy as envisaged in Kenya Vision 2030, two drivers are important, namely human capital development and increased production and productivity.” Prof. Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u, CS

The government has proposed a total allocation of Ksh656.6 billion or 27.6% of the total expenditure for the education sector.

This includes: Ksh358.2 billion to
Teachers Service Commission, Ksh 142.3 billion
for primary education, Ksh 128.0 billion for tertiary education
Education and research and Ksh30.7 billion per
Technical vocational education and training.

Presenting the annual budget in Parliament on Thursday afternoon, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndungu said the allocation for the education sector includes: Ksh9.1 billion for free primary education, Ksh61.9 billion for free day secondary education, Ksh30.7 billion for Capitationas Junior High School and Ksh5.0 billion Ksh billions for exemption from examination fees.

Additionally, CS has proposed an allocation of Ksh13.4 billion for the conversion of 46,000 junior high school trainees into pensionable internships, Ksh1.3 billion for teacher training in competency-based curriculum and Ksh360.0 million for digital skills program and ICT integration in our Secondary Schools.

Infrastructure

In his speech, he praised the government’s efforts to invest in the education sector to improve outcomes and create a level playing field for all children.

To support infrastructure. development and ensuring safe learning in schools, CS proposed the allocation of:
Ksh3.2 billion for primary and secondary school infrastructure
Ksh 1 billion for construction of secondary school classrooms
Ksh2.3 billion for the construction and equipping of technical training institutes and vocational training centers.

Additionally, CS Ndungu has proposed Ksh11.1 billion for the Kenya Primary Education Equity Program, Ksh1.8 billion for the construction of integrated resource centers and Ksh1.5 billion for the Kenya Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project.

A total of Ksh 1.1 billion has been proposed for research, science, technology and innovation.

Loans and scholarships

On university funding, CS said: “The government is implementing a new funding model for public universities and TVET institutions by providing government scholarships and loans distributed according to student needs.”

The new funding framework, he said, aims to provide for students whose households are at the bottom
pyramid of equal opportunities in access to university
education as well as technical training.

He proposed an allocation of Ksh35.9 billion for the benefit
Higher Education Loan Board to provide
loans for university and TVET students, Ksh 16.9
billion in scholarships for university students and Ksh7.7 billion in Capitations and scholarships
for TVET students.